


Bleed Me An Ocean

by PrincessTurk



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Blood, Blood Drinking, Cutting, Human Experimentation, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Masturbation, Molestation, Murder, On Hiatus, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 08:49:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20132686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessTurk/pseuds/PrincessTurk
Summary: Cloud is injected with the last known S Cells. Genesis must feed on him to stay alive and stop his degradation. Slight AU with hints of Crisis Core. NOT a vampire story! ON HIATUS.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Gift/request fic for darkhaseo90! He wanted a fic with Genesis and Cloud in it, and I was surprised to write what I did for the first chapter. I honestly didn't think it would turn out this way. A little AU with a bit of Crisis Core spoilers... then it gets really twisted and is nothing like the storyline at all. You'll see what I mean. Hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> ON HIATUS.
> 
> This story was once being considered for a manga-style/comic art spinoff by a fan. It was one of the proudest moments of my life! I only wish the plan had gone through!
> 
> Fan art/MMD/digital art made in 2012 by Snow-Larka/Blackcat0989! https://www.deviantart.com/snow-larka/art/Cloud-x-Genesis-Kiss-307054658
> 
> Title inspired by Acid Bath's "Bleed Me An Ocean".
> 
> *Published on FFnet on July 7, 2010.

Cloud's head dropped forward onto his chest and he whined softly as the bearded scientist injected him with more of the foul-smelling mako. He was limp against his restraints, made to stand upright in the cold lab. His abuser, Dr. Hollander, was quite busy today: ten straight injections of mako and a heavy dose of something Cloud vaguely remembered the doctor calling "S Cells".

Cloud had been dragged into the lab against his will by Hollander while he was alone in his room, rendered unconscious by a strong dose of sedatives injected into his arm. Stripped of his clothes, beaten, and now… _this_. He looked down to see Hollander kneeling in front of him on one knee, a clipboard balanced carefully in one hand. The other hand slowly moved to Cloud's bare thigh and gently caressed it. Dirty and slightly pudgy fingers worked their way up to his crotch.

"No!" Cloud shouted, only to be shushed with a harsh slap to his groin. He cried out and tried to kick his legs, but he was nonetheless met with resistance from his restraints. "God damn it!" he yelled even louder, now trying to flail his arms. That, too, was completely useless.

"Here, now," Hollander said, softly ghosting his hand across Cloud's limp cock. To both of their surprise, the flaccid member began to slowly fill with blood, its flesh becoming engorged and slightly hard. "Hmm, that's good. I like what I see," Hollander said. "Tell me, Cloud. Do you think you could be so kind enough as to give me a sample of your precious semen?"

He set his clipboard to the side and reached into his lab coat and popped open the cap on a small vial. He held it closely to Cloud's reddened, and now completely hard, organ. Running his hand down along the shaft, Hollander began to pump it gently. Cloud bit his lip and squirmed even more against his restraints. This was not happening to him! "Zack!" he cried out hoarsely, hearing nothing in reply but the echo of his own voice.

The lab door suddenly burst open and both Cloud and Hollander jerked their heads up to see what the commotion was all about. The missing First Class SOLDIER, Genesis Rhapsodos, was standing in the doorway, his rapier giving off a slight glow. "Genesis!" Hollander exclaimed, standing up quickly and pocketing the vial. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice wavering.

"Good doctor, I know that you know how to stop this degradation," Genesis said, his single black wing springing free from his shoulder. A few feathers came loose and floated soundlessly to the cold lab floor. His skin was a deathly pale color and his hair had began to fade.

"You're out of luck, Genesis. What was left of the S Cells are now inside of Cloud. He is to be the new experiment, and perhaps he will be of far greater strength than Sephiroth or Angeal. Or _you_ for that matter," Hollander said, laughing cruelly. Genesis stepped forward, his rapier held out directly in front of him. He held the tip to the doctor's neck and lifted his chin as he began to speak. "And just how am I supposed to survive this degradation? You see what is becoming of me. I will probably not last but for a few more days," he said. Hollander laughed at him again and said, "That's not my problem, Genesis."

"The hell it isn't!" Genesis yelled, pushing the blade a little deeper into Hollander's neck. A small drop of blood began to drip slowly down his skin, and he began to panic. "Genesis, don't! You _need_ me!" he yelled. Genesis shook his head and looked at Cloud. "Not anymore," he said with a smile, thrusting the rapier straight through the doctor's throat, pinning him to the wall behind him. A gurgling noise filled the room and Cloud bucked against his restraints, screaming hoarsely. He didn't want to hear this, didn't want to see it. Sure, he hated Doctor Hollander, especially after all he had done to him, but Genesis was murdering him with a smile on his face. It was almost evil.

When Genesis withdrew his rapier, Hollander crumpled to the floor and he wiped the blood nonchalantly onto the doctor's lab coat, smearing the thick and sticky mess onto bright white material. He walked over to Cloud and hummed deeply in his throat. "Now, what am I going to do with you?" he wondered aloud to himself rather than to the cadet. "You can get me down from here, for starters!" Cloud yelled, growing more panicked and afraid by the moment. His fear was quickly turning to anger. Genesis chuckled at him. "A little spitfire, aren't you? Don't worry, I'm not going to keep you here. You have something that I need, and you're coming with me," he said, a sly smile on his face.

He busied himself with undoing Cloud's restraints, making small conversation as he went along. He would now be tied to this young man, whether he liked it or not, because he held the key to his longevity and life. "What was your name again?" he asked, working on a strap around Cloud's wrist. "Cloud Strife," Cloud said, pulling his wrist free when Genesis finally worked the strap loose. "And you're the missing Genesis. There's been a lot of talk about you around the company. It was even reported that you were dead," he added.

Genesis laughed softly. "Well, as you can see, I'm only _half_-dead. Hollander has made a monster out of me," he replied. "And you, as you heard, have the last bit of pure S Cells in your system. I need those cells to stay alive."

"And you propose...?"

"I'm taking you with me, as I said. I have a place that I've been staying at. It's safe and no one will bother us there. We can figure the rest out later. Here, give me your hand." Genesis had undone the last restraint and was now holding his hand out to Cloud, as in truce. Cloud took the man's hand and tried to take a step forward. He almost ended up collapsing, and he would have if it had not been for Genesis being there to catch him. Naked, cold and shivering, he let himself be carried out of the lab and through the building. When they got outside, Genesis clutched him tightly to his chest. "Hold on and close your eyes," he said. The next thing Cloud knew, he was floating. He dared to open one of his eyes, and he found that they were soaring through the air at a fast speed. He felt lightheaded and nauseated, so he closed his eyes again and didn't open them until he felt Genesis touch down onto the ground.

"We are here, Cloud," Genesis said breathlessly. The somewhat short trip had exhausted him, as weak as he was, and the degradation only worsened the feeling. He stood Cloud up on his own two feet and took the blond's arm and slung it around his neck. His own arm draped around Cloud's shoulder. "We can help each other get inside," Genesis said, and Cloud nodded. So far, so good. They made it inside of the small home: a quaint little two-story white house with old furniture inside. Cloud's nose wrinkled at the smell of mold and dust. They shuffled over to the couch and slumped over onto the dusty cushions.

"I don't feel so good," Cloud mumbled. His body pitched forward and he scrambled to his feet. He fled to the door and threw it open, just in time to vomit into the bushes nearby. He heaved and retched until nothing was left inside of him. The stench of stomach acid and mako hit his senses and he began to vomit again. When he was emptied completely, he closed the door and went back to the couch. "My face feels hot," he said, laying down and curling up on his side. He pulled a dirty blanket around his body. Genesis was staring at the wall across from the couch, his facial features scrunched together. Cloud could tell the man was thinking about something very seriously. "What are we going to do about your degradation?" Cloud asked. His stomach turned and he closed his eyes. Maybe he shouldn't have spoken again so soon; talking seemed to make the nausea worse.

"I have a couple of ideas, but I don't know what you will think," Genesis said, turning slowly to look at Cloud. Their eyes met and Cloud's breath caught in his throat. "What are they?" he asked. He was almost too afraid to know. Genesis sighed and rested his head against his cheek against his hand, his arm propped up on the side of the couch.

"One idea is that we can go back to the lab and grab supplies. Needles, syringes, the works. I could draw blood from you each day and inject it into my own body, which will stop the degradation."

Cloud tensed up. "I don't want to go back to the lab," he said. "And if you do, you might get caught. Then where would we both be? Neither you nor I can survive without each other now. If you die, I won't know what to do with myself. I mean, I'm not a fucking weakling, but I don't feel right. Something's wrong with my body, and you have the knowledge of what's going on with me, don't you?"

Genesis nodded. "Your body is getting used to the introduction of the S Cells and mako into your bloodstream. You might go through changes similar to what I have undergone, but I don't know. I was born this way, so I don't know exactly what will happen in your case. That's up in the air right now," he admitted. Cloud shivered and clutched the blanket around his body even tighter. "Then we stay here and I feed on you," Genesis said hesitatingly. Cloud's head jerked up. "You'll _what_?"

"Feed on you. Cut you in small places and take your blood. That will heed the degradation. It's almost the only way," Genesis answered. "Although... the idea doesn't completely appeal to me. I can't imagine drinking blood. I don't even like my steak rare. It might shock and sicken you, but think about the fact that I am the one that will have to be feeding from you and not the other way around." Cloud blanched and held his hand to his mouth, afraid he might vomit again. His stomach flipped and flopped then settled back down. As calmly as he could, he took a deep breath and swallowed back a thick stream of saliva.

"Alright. But... you're not going to hurt me too badly, are you?" Cloud asked. Genesis shook his head. "No. I'm going to try to cut you as lightly as I can. Or, if you'd rather, you can do it yourself," he said. He stood up and went to the kitchen, bringing back a small knife. "Here," he said, handing it to Cloud. Cloud hesitated but took it into his hand, looking at the shining blade reflecting sunlight from the window. "Where do you want it?" he asked. Genesis shrugged. "Wherever you think will hurt the least," he said. Cloud held the knife steady above the skin on his upper arm. He played with the idea for a moment, lightly sliding the sharp blade against his flesh. He looked up at Genesis. "If you think this is the only way, then this is what we will do. I help you, you help me, right?" he said nervously. Genesis nodded and Cloud took in a sharp breath and bit his lip. He quickly sliced open his skin and watched through half-squinted eyes as the blood began to trickle lightly down his arm.

Genesis watched with amazement as this was all going on. He hadn't been sure if the young man would actually go through with it. He had figured that he would probably have to take Cloud's blood with force, but he saw now that it wasn't the case. He slowly lowered his head down to Cloud's offered arm and closed his lips around the bleeding cut. He was shocked at first, the copper-tasting fluid flowing gently across his tongue, then the shock slowly turned into the realization that the taste was not too bad after all. It had a slightly sweet taste to it and seemed to dance along his taste buds as his gentle suction quickly turned into a frenzy.

Cloud was poised to defend himself, even though he knew he was much too weak to do so at the moment. He watched as Genesis fed from him, his hair turning back into a normal reddish-brown. His black wing was slowly strengthening and beginning to fold back into his shoulder. His cheeks became rosy. "Genesis," he said, tugging on his arm a little. "Your degradation has ceased. You can probably stop now."

Genesis lifted his head up and moved away from Cloud, leaning back against the couch. He sighed heavily, almost contentedly, and closed his eyes. "I feel much better now. Thank you," he said, then opened his eyes. "Why don't you sleep a little while? I'll get you some clothes from the closet upstairs in the bedroom. You're welcome to sleep in my bed as well. I will cook us some dinner and we can talk some more when you awaken."

"I don't feel like sleeping," Cloud said, but his eyelids were drooping. Genesis chuckled at him and leaned over. Picking him up with the blanket draped carefully around him, he carried the blond upstairs and put him on the bed. "Sleep, okay?" he said. Cloud weakly nodded then drifted off to sleep almost instantly. Genesis smiled and began to rummage through the closet. He found a pair of old black pants and a button-up black shirt that looked like it would fit the small cadet. He laid the clothes out on the end of the bed and went downstairs to prepare a light meal of stew and bread. A couple of hours later, he heard footsteps falling on the stairs and turned to see Cloud dressed and looking fairly rested. Only one thing was off, and Genesis couldn't stop staring.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, his stomach growling loudly as he ladled a large helping of stew into his bowl.

"Your hair. You are a natural blond, yes?"

"Yeah. What about it?" Cloud shrugged, grabbing a large piece of warm bread. He sat down at the table and began to practically shovel the food into his mouth. Genesis handed him a napkin and said, "You have a black streak on the side of your head. I mean, one of your spikes is now black."

"What!" Cloud exclaimed, then stood up. "Where's a mirror?" Genesis pointed toward the living room. "In there," he said. Cloud took off into the living room and stood in front of the mirror, his mouth gaping. "I told you, you might start seeing some changes," Genesis said. "Impossible," Cloud whispered to himself, reaching a hand up and running it through his spikes. He returned to the table after a few more seconds of staring at himself, then began to eat again. Genesis had already eaten and was mindlessly playing with the spoon in his bowl, turning it this way and that. He looked up.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you."

"Thank you," Cloud replied. He honestly didn't know what to say at Genesis' apology. It wasn't as if the man had caused this to happen to him, after all.

"Is there something else I can get for you?" Genesis asked. Cloud shook his head. "I see. You want me to leave you alone?" he added. "No, you're fine," Cloud said.

"Did you notice that the moment I stopped feeding from you, your cut healed?" Genesis said. "It means the S Cells and mako are working in unison, healing you quickly. That is a blessing."

"It actually didn't hurt whenever I made the cut, either," Cloud said, then shrugged. Maybe this situation would not be as bad as he thought it would be. It would mean that he would almost be invincible and able to withstand anything that came at him, whether it be a cut, a burn or a wild animal with teeth snapping at his ankles, ready to devour him. _Devour_. He looked at Genesis, who was staring off into space. It was then that Cloud realized how beautiful the man looked now that he was not degrading.

"I'm going to watch some television. Do you want to join me after you finish eating?" Genesis said suddenly. "Sure," Cloud said, then watched as Genesis stood up and went into the living room. He heard the buzz of the television turning on, then heard Genesis snickering at a comedy show. Cloud finished his meal and cleaned up the kitchen without a second thought, washing up their dishes and putting away the leftovers into the refrigerator. He made his way to the couch and sat down on the opposite end. Slowly, he found himself laughing along with Genesis at the comedian on the screen and relaxed as he finally realized that he had nothing to fear. Genesis had saved him, and in return he was saving Genesis. They were almost even now. It kind of felt... good.


	2. Chapter 2

Hours later, Genesis and Cloud were still sitting in front of the television, their eyes slightly glazed over from the flickering lights and colors. They had probably watched every kind of program known to man: comedy, drama, horror and now this. A screaming guitar blared loudly into the room. Cloud watched out of the corner of his eye as Genesis began to bob his head a little. He seemed to really be getting into the song. Cloud stifled a laugh and tried not to poke fun at his new friend.

Indeed, Genesis had quickly become a friend to Cloud. Cloud had only known of Genesis from hearsay through the Shinra company and a few photographs in the Shinra Times newspaper. It was fate that had brought them together, and Cloud found himself grateful for the interruption in his cadet life. He had been working for months as a cadet in the Shinra army, but nothing was going right. Though he had been a little afraid when Genesis took him away from the lab, he was also grateful for the saving of his skin. Now, he looked at the situation as a chance for him to break free from the company that would probably just label him as missing in action. Maybe he could take up painting now, maybe write a novel. He laughed internally at this and shook his head.

"Holy _shit!_"

Cloud's thoughts were interrupted by Genesis' exclamation. He looked back up at the television and his mouth gaped open in shock. He tilted his head to one side to better study what he was seeing. "Great Gaia!" he shouted. Apparently, Genesis' television had every channel available on the planet, including the one they were now watching.

"…How are they doing that?" Genesis said breathlessly. His mouth was open and one of his eyebrows was raised. He swallowed hard and began to fiddle with his earring.

"I dunno, but that's hot!" Cloud replied. "Gods, look at that ass!"

Genesis abruptly changed the channel and shifted on the couch. He cleared his throat and bit his lip. He didn't feel quite ready to talk with Cloud about his sexual preferences. To Cloud, it was obvious by the channel he had on his television that Genesis was a complete flamer. Fruit. Homo. Gay. Thank Gaia, Cloud thought to himself. He said nothing and tried to settle his attention back on the television, but now he just couldn't concentrate.

"Bathroom?" he asked. Genesis looked at him and smirked.

"Upstairs to the left."

"Thanks."

Cloud made a hasty retreat to the bathroom and slammed the door. He rested his back against it and let out a heavy sigh. He stood there for a moment then walked over to the sink and splashed water on his hot face. Why was he thinking about Genesis this way? It was like a switch had been flipped as soon as the images on the screen entered into his brain. He hadn't really been seeing the two men on the television, no. He had pictured himself splayed out on the very couch that they had been sitting on, saw Genesis kneeling on the floor in front of him and ramming into his ass as hard as he could.

Once he had calmed himself down enough - mainly by thinking of Tseng, the leader of the Turks, in a g-string - he made his way back downstairs and took his place on the end of the couch again. Genesis eyed him for a moment but said nothing. They continued to channel surf for another hour or so, until both of them were almost falling asleep. It had been a long and trying day for the both of them, though Cloud wasn't sure which one of them had had it worse.

"Ready for bed?" Genesis said, turning off the television. He tossed the remote control down onto the couch between the two of them and stretched. Cloud nodded and took a deep breath. "You can sleep upstairs with me, if you'd like. I don't know about you, but I think my bed is really comfortable. I don't mind sharing it with you," Genesis offered.

"It was pretty comfortable," Cloud said, thinking of how he had napped on it earlier that afternoon. But to share a bed with Genesis after the little episode he had earlier? Cloud began to get nervous just thinking about it. What if he accidentally rolled over in the middle of the night and clung to Genesis without knowing it? How would he explain it if Genesis woke up and caught him with an arm draped over his chest?

"Come on. I'll lock up down here. You can go ahead and go upstairs. And Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"It's nothing. Just sharing a bed, that's all," Genesis said. Cloud shrugged and tried to play it off as if he didn't know what Genesis was talking about. He went upstairs and pulled back the blanket on the top of the bed. What he found was black satin sheets. He gulped and lifted a hand to his button-up shirt. He weighed the pros and cons of taking off his shirt and sleeping without it. To sleep with it on would be uncomfortable; to sleep with it off would feel like heaven, the satin sheets flowing seemingly endlessly across and on his skin. He finally decided to strip himself of the shirt and tossed it onto the bedside table. Quickly, he slid beneath the blanket and let out a relaxed sigh as his skin was cooled by the satin.

Genesis came upstairs a moment later and saw the satisfied look on Cloud's face. "Nice, isn't it?" he said, laughing. He stripped off his own shirt and slid easily into bed, pulling the blanket over his body and up to his armpits. He crossed his arms behind his head and sighed. "You know what, Cloud? I could get used to this. Living with someone, I mean. Before, I enjoyed the peace and quiet, but after a while it became too quiet. I missed the company of others. I'm glad I happened upon you. I hate that it had to happen the way that it did, and it might seem like I'm only using you, but trust me. I'm not. I want you to understand that. At first, yes. Now, no."

"I feel the same way, Genesis. I'm glad you saved me from the hell that I was going through," Cloud said. He was happy that they were beginning to get some things out into the open. "And you can keep me here as long as you like. It's nice to have a new friend."

"You too, Cloud."

Genesis turned over and turned off the lamp on his bedside table and curled up on his side, facing away from Cloud. Cloud did the same, his back toward Genesis. For a few hours, they slept that way, and suddenly Cloud awoke to a strange feeling on his hip. Slightly heavy and warm, it puzzled Cloud at first, still half-asleep. When he became fully awake, he realized that Genesis was resting a hand on his hip. He stiffened slightly out of shock and carefully peered over his shoulder at Genesis, half expecting to see the man staring back at him. To his surprise, Genesis was fast asleep, his chest falling and rising smoothly.

Cloud's mind started racing. What should he do? Shrug his hand off and risk waking him up or leave it there and just pretend like nothing happened in the morning? Something in his mind finally told him to seize the moment, and he did just that. Inching backward ever so slowly toward Genesis, he scooted against his warm body and pretended that this touch was the real thing. He secretly wanted it to be real, to not just be a subconscious thing that Genesis had done in his sleep accidentally.

In his head, he imagined the two of them as lovers. Genesis' hand was on his hip while they were sleeping because they had just made love a few hours before. He pretended that Genesis loved him and had his hand on his hip because he just wanted to feel Cloud near while he slept.

As he was thinking all of this, Genesis sighed in his sleep and his hand slid easily from Cloud's waist to his chest. He moaned lightly without opening his mouth and tightened his hold on Cloud.

Subconscious or not, Cloud decided he would take what he could get at this moment in time. And he held onto this feeling until he fell back asleep, feeling a comfort like he had never felt before.


	3. Chapter 3

Cloud woke up the next morning to find himself alone in Genesis' bed. He vaguely remembered snuggling into Genesis' touch the night before, and wondered if Genesis had awoken to find his arm around the blond. Cloud sighed and eased himself up from the pillow. He slowly lowered his feet to the floor and shivered at the coldness. When he tried to stand up, a wave of vertigo hit him and he fell back down to the bed. A sharp pain stabbed him in the shoulders, flowing all the way across his back. He cried out rather loudly and sat up, his shoulders hunched and tense from the pain. Flashes of light invaded his vision and he further hunched over. A jolt of even worse pain spread throughout his body and he fell to the floor onto his knees. He felt something dripping down his shoulder. Very carefully, he reached an arm back and touched it. When he pulled his hand back, there was blood smeared on his fingers. He cried out and yelled Genesis' name.

Within mere seconds, Genesis came rushing up the stairs and into the bedroom. Finding Cloud bleeding and on the floor, he slightly began to panic. "What's happened here?" he said loudly, his voice shaky. He exited the room and came back with a clean, wet washcloth from the bathroom. He knelt down and held it to Cloud's shoulder blade, applying pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. While he was doing so, he felt a familiar knot under Cloud's skin. He lifted up the cloth and peered closely at it. Glancing over at his other shoulder, he saw the same thing. "Shit," he muttered. "Cloud, I'm going to ask you to do something for me. Will you fight me?"

"_What_? Why would I fight you? I'm not going to fight you!" Cloud said, turning around quickly and wincing at another sharp pain that spread through his body. He choked out a cry. Genesis placed a hand calmly on his shoulder.

"I need you to get angry, Cloud. If you won't fight me, then think of something that makes you angry as hell. Think about Hollander. Anything," Genesis told him, standing up and backing away. Cloud bristled at the sound of Hollander's name, then remembered what the man had done to him. Anger burned inside of him and pooled in his belly. Genesis watched his face closely, then nodded.

"That's right. Pull that anger up, Cloud. Pull it up inside of your heart. Really feel it, and then let it burst. Tell me what you hated about him the most."

"I… He _touched_ me!" Cloud screamed. He stood up and clenched his fists. "The sick bastard fucking _touched_ me!"

Genesis took another step back as Cloud crossed the room and slammed his fist into the wall nearby. He pulled his fist back and shook his hand. He screamed as pain shot through his shoulders and he fell to the floor once more. Genesis watched and listened as the unfamiliar sound of skin being broken apart fell upon his ears, knowing what was happening. A pair of pure, snow-white wings burst forth from Cloud's shoulder blades and cut through the air like a graceful knife. Genesis' mouth dropped open. He had never seen wings this white before, so white that they almost blinded him. He felt his heart racing in his chest, and he held one hand over his heart, swallowing harshly.

"They are fucking beautiful, Cloud."

_Just like you_, he thought.

Cloud stood back up and looked in the mirror across the room. Still shirtless from the night before, and standing with blood dripping down his back, he hardly recognized himself. He crossed the room slowly and stepped up to the full-length mirror. He touched one of his wings in the reflection, his mouth gaping open. First the black streak in his hair, and now wings.

"Genesis… Why do I have two, and why are they white?" he asked. "Yours is black, and you only have one."

_Because you are an angel._

"I don't know, Cloud. Perhaps there is just something in your genetics that allowed you to have more than one."

"…Can I fly?"

Genesis chuckled. "You'll have to learn, but I'm pretty sure you can," he replied. Cloud slowly turned to him and gave him a slight smile.

"This is weird," Cloud said, finally working up enough courage to lift a hand to one of his wings and stroke the feathers on it. He was surprised that he could actually feel the sensation of his touching it. He dropped his hand, then grinned at Genesis. "Will you teach me?"

"Absolutely. You want some breakfast first?"

"Gods, yes. I'm starved," Cloud replied, his stomach gurgling loudly. They walked downstairs together and went into the kitchen, where Cloud was met with a table set for two. Heaps of bacon and waffles were in the middle of the table.

"The waffles are homemade. Something Angeal's mother taught me to make when we were young," Genesis said, sitting down. He motioned to the other chair, and Cloud joined him quickly. They filled their plates with the feast and Cloud all but stuffed the bacon into his mouth, two thick slices at one time. With the other hand, he busied himself with smothering his waffles with syrup. He cut through one of the waffles with his fork and shoved it into his mouth. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. If Genesis cooked like this all of the time, he would stay here forever.

"You're a good cook," Cloud said. "Thank you for making this for us."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it," Genesis said.

They ate in silence for the rest of the breakfast, then cleaned up together. Standing side by side at the sink, Cloud couldn't help but notice how graceful Genesis' hands were as he washed the dishes, handing them over to Cloud to rinse. He studied the curves of his fingers, the shape of his nails and the outline of strong veins flowing underneath his skin. Pale white was the color of his skin and his palms were embedded with lines that he tried to memorize. His hand had felt so good on his skin last night. To feel that touch again would be a dream come true… but he would wait. He didn't even know if Genesis felt the same way as Cloud was beginning to feel about him, so he wouldn't say a single word. If anything happened between them, it would happen naturally, as it had happened the night before.

Unknown to Cloud, Genesis was thinking along the same lines. He secretly inhaled Cloud's scent as they stood next to each other, completely entranced in the feeling of being so close to him. He had woken up earlier that morning to find himself holding the blond, his hand resting on his chest and his arm wrapped tightly around him. He had quickly moved away, afraid that Cloud would wake up and catch him. He hoped like hell that Cloud hadn't caught on, and he would go on pretending that it never happened unless Cloud ever mentioned it.

When they finished putting the dishes away, Genesis put his hands on his hips. "You ready?" he asked Cloud, who grinned at him and nodded his head vigorously. "Good," he said, then walked to the stairway. "We'll go to the roof." Cloud's face went dark, then he blanched.

"I'm a little afraid of heights," he replied. Genesis laughed.

"You're afraid of heights but you want to learn to _fly_? That's fucked up, if you don't mind me saying so," Genesis said. They smiled at each other and Genesis felt his heart jump a little at the sight of Cloud's lips curving up so sensually. He quickly looked away and began to climb the stairs. When he reached the top, he pulled on a cord that opened a panel in the ceiling. Pulling down a folded ladder, he climbed up halfway then held his hand out to Cloud. "Come on. It'll be alright, Cloud," he said gently. Cloud nodded and took his hand, shivering slightly at the feeling of Genesis' large hand folded over his. Up they went, Cloud's nerves on edge the entire time. When Genesis pulled him into the dark attic, Cloud stood and looked around. Here, he could barely make out an old dusty piano covered slightly with a white sheet and several boxes of unknown items.

"Do you play?" he asked Genesis, motioning toward the piano.

Genesis shrugged. "Sometimes."

"I'd like to hear you play sometime."

Genesis blushed slightly and turned away so that Cloud couldn't see him doing so. "Okay, maybe later tonight. First, though, we have to get you flying," he said. Opening a single window across the room, he easily slipped out of it and pulled himself onto the roof. He reached down and said, "Take my hands and I'll pull you up with me." Cloud did so hesitatingly, and he closed his eyes as he felt himself being pulled and lifted through the window and onto the roof. As he was pulled up, he tripped over his own feet and fell forward onto Genesis, who caught him easily. His hands now gripping Genesis around his torso, Cloud looked up at him with crystal blue eyes that tore at the strings on Genesis' heart. "You're alright, Cloud," he said, then kindly pushed him away, hoping he wouldn't hurt the blond's feelings in doing so.

Cloud pretended to pay no mind and tried to hide his embarrassment as he drew in a deep breath and tried to calmly look around at his surroundings. They were so high up from the ground. He hadn't realized that the house was this tall. He felt his stomach turn and he swallowed quickly, praying for the nausea to go away. Genesis closed his eyes and lowered his head in concentration. Cloud watched as Genesis' single black wing burst free from his shoulder and gasped in awe at the way the sun hit his raven feathers. It was quite beautiful, to say the least.

"Now. I want you to concentrate on giving your wings strength. Take those emotions that you felt earlier and pool them into your soul again. As time goes on and you get more and more used to your wings, you'll find that you won't need to make yourself emotional for your wings to come out, and you'll find that flying is actually quite simple and a mindless thing to do. It just takes some practice. I should know… I've been like this for a very long time," Genesis told him. Cloud nodded and closed his eyes, making himself think back to his experience with Hollander, for it was the only thing that could make him emotional now. Nothing, not even failing at becoming a SOLIDER, could compare to the humiliation and anger he had felt at the hands of Hollander.

His wings seemed to come alive as he pulled every ounce of emotion into the pit of his stomach. Gasping, he opened his eyes as he both felt and heard the quick, strong flap of one of his wings. "Ha!" he shouted with glee, his eyes lighting up like a child on his birthday. "_Genesis_!" He rolled one shoulder and squeezed his eyes shut, making the other wing begin to flap. He suddenly felt his feet leaving the roof, slowly but surely. He didn't dare open his eyes, but he could feel himself lifting gently. "G-Genesis…" he whispered, his voice shaky and unsure. He felt a quick movement of the air around him, then a strong arm around his waist.

"I'm here, Cloud. I'm not going to let you fall. When you're ready, open your eyes," Genesis whispered back to him, his breath hot near Cloud's ear. Cloud shivered and tried to keep concentrating. He could feel them lifting higher and higher. Slowly, he opened one eye, catching a glimpse of the roof fairly far below them. He gasped and began to shake, his nerves getting the better of him. "Concentrate, Cloud. I've got you. I'm not going to let you fall," Genesis repeated.

"I can't!" Cloud gasped. "Please, put me down!"

Genesis chuckled softly near his ear. "You're the one who got us up here. _You_ get us down," he said, smirking.

"Genesis!"

"Did you know that you're doing this all by yourself? I haven't had to use my wing once."

"…Huh?" Cloud stopped shaking for a moment, the idea making him feel rather proud. For once in his life, he felt like he had actually done something right.

"That's right. Your wings have carried us straight up into the air. You're the one carrying me. See?" Genesis said, then flapped his wing, which made them go a little higher. Cringing, Cloud flapped his own wings, trying to figure out how to make them go lower. Genesis chuckled at him again. "Spread your wings all of the way out, then slowly push those bad emotions out of yourself. Trust me," he said.

"A-Alright," Cloud replied. He closed his eyes and made himself push his poisonous thoughts from the bottom of his stomach to the top of his skull. He was shocked when he found out that Genesis was telling him the truth. It had worked. Now, their feet touched the roof again, and Genesis let his waist go. Cloud felt a little sad that the sensation was gone, but shrugged it off as Genesis threw him a light, friendly punch to his arm and grinned.

"Not bad for your first time," he said.

Cloud sighed heavily and laughed. "Maybe next time I'll try having a hard drink of alcohol before I do this. The only thing that was hard was my fear of heights," he said.

Genesis shrugged. "Care to have one right now?" he asked.

"Sure."

They climbed back inside to the attic through the open window and made their way back downstairs. In the kitchen, Genesis reached into one of his cabinets and pulled out an old bottle of whiskey. He plunked it down on the table and grabbed two glasses from another cabinet. He gave one to Cloud, then opened the bottle and poured both of their drinks. He capped off the bottle and lifted the glass to his lips, inhaling the scent of the liquor and finally giving it a long sip. He winced at the burning sensation as the alcohol slid easily down his throat and warmed him. Cloud took a sip as well, then sat his glass down. He turned it around and around with one hand, then finally looked up at Genesis.

"Hey, um… How do I pull my wings back in?" he asked, feeling slightly dumb at asking the question. Genesis smiled at him, though, and balled up his fist at the side of his body. Quickly, his wing swooped in and disappeared beneath his skin. Not missing a beat, Genesis took another sip of his drink and smiled up at him.

"That's easy. Just feel yourself mentally pulling your wings back in. It might hurt the first time, but after that, you'll get used to it. There probably won't be any bleeding the next time they come out, either. Your skin and muscles will get used to it rather quickly. You just have to practice," Genesis told him.

Cloud closed his eyes and tried to will his wings back into his body, but nothing was happening. He opened one eye and saw Genesis grinning at him. He watched as Genesis got up and walked over to him, his shirtless torso flat and muscular. Cloud shifted in his chair and tried to ignore the heat pooling in his groin. He felt Genesis place his hands on his shoulder blades, then felt slight pressure as he began to lightly massage the area around his wings. "Concentrate, Cloud. Feel what I'm doing? Push your energy up to your shoulders and imagine your wings going in. You can do it… I believe in you," he said.

_He believes in me… When has anyone ever believed in me my whole life? Genesis… Where have you been all of my life?_

Cloud suddenly felt his wings quickly returning into his body, and he let out a deep breath, then laughed nervously. Genesis was still massaging him. Shouldn't he have stopped by now? Cloud felt himself leaning into his touch, trying not to let on that he was doing so. He felt Genesis stop suddenly.

"Cloud… May I?"

"What is it?" Cloud asked, his voice coming out almost in a whisper.

"Your blood. May I use this opportunity to… to…" he trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say. He was almost afraid that Cloud had come to his senses today and would refuse him. Would he have to take his blood, his life source, by force? He hoped not, but he didn't have to wonder for long, as he saw the back of Cloud's head begin to nod.

"Yes," he whispered. _Gods, yes_, he had wanted to say. He felt himself tense up then relax as he felt Genesis' lips lower to his left shoulder. His eyes closed automatically as he felt that sensuous, wet mouth covering the wound that had been created by his wing. He felt as if he were floating in the middle of an ocean on a bliss-laden boat, and carved into the weathered wood was the name of Genesis Rhapsodos, the sweetest name he had ever known. He drifted even further into his haze when Genesis wrapped an arm around his chest.

Genesis let his hot lips drag from one wound to the other, cleaning Cloud's wounds carefully with his tongue and mouth. _Let me take care of you, my white-winged angel…_ He sighed softly as he recovered from inhaling the scent of Cloud's skin. He had to stop, _right now_. He was too intoxicated with Cloud, and made even more so by the taste of his flesh and blood. He made himself pull his mouth away, but kept his arm around Cloud and rested his chin on the blond's shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered. He reached up with his free hand and gently touched Cloud's cheek with the back of it. "I'm never going to hurt you. You know that, right?"

Cloud nodded, unable to speak. Genesis drew in a ragged breath and continued. "We're a part of each other now," he said. "Maybe it's the little bit of alcohol talking, but I think that we can feel what each other is feeling. Can you tell me what I'm feeling right now?"

Cloud hesitated, but understood instantly what Genesis was talking about. He had felt the connection as well, but not as clear as it was now. "...You are feeling that holding me is nice. You like it but you're afraid to let your true emotions show because you've been outcast before," he said softly, almost afraid that his observation was wrong. He felt Genesis tense up around him, then felt him relax.

"That's a part of it, yes," he replied. He took a deep breath then gently brushed a strand of Cloud's hair from his cheek. "And you are thinking that you enjoy being held by me, but you're afraid that I'll reject you if you voice your feelings."

Cloud shivered and nodded.

"Don't be afraid. Please, Cloud. Don't be afraid of me."

Cloud slowly turned his face to look at Genesis, who was gazing at him with the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. "I'm not afraid," he whispered, then felt himself pulling toward Genesis' face, brushing his cheek against the softest skin he had ever felt. Genesis moved his head slightly, and all at once their lips brushed against each other. "_I'm not afraid_," Cloud whispered again, then fully pressed his lips against Genesis'. Genesis sighed softly and allowed himself to melt into the sweetness of the moment. Cloud was now fully turned toward him in the chair, his arms wrapped around Genesis' neck. Genesis let his arms fully enclose Cloud, holding him gently as their lips parted and their tongues met. Cloud could taste his own blood on Genesis' lips and in his mouth, but this fact did not bother him.

It was all he could do to keep from crying out when he suddenly felt his wings burst free. Startling both of them, they broke away from each other, their mouths wide open in shock. They began to laugh, and it was then that Cloud fully understood how easy it really was going to be to fly: Genesis had already made him soar higher than his own wings would ever take him.


	4. Chapter 4

There was just something about the way Cloud smiled at him that made Genesis hold himself back from going any further than just a kiss. The bursting forth of Cloud's brilliant wings had given Genesis the opportunity to seize the moment and take a step back. A part of him had wanted the kiss to lead to something more, but a voice inside of his head was telling him to hold back. They had not known each other but for two days now, and he could tell that patience - not haste - was the key to the blond's emotions. He could see it in the way that Cloud had blushed furiously after they laughed over his wings coming out, and had dashed for a glass of water when faced with the aftermath of their actions. Cloud had said that he was not afraid of Genesis, and that may have been so, but Genesis told himself that it didn't mean that Cloud was ready for anything further than just a kiss.

Cloud was the only man other than Angeal whom Genesis had kissed. Though his relationship with Angeal never went further than the one kiss they had shared one starry night as teenagers, he still kept Angeal in his heart all these years. He wasn't sure if he had truly loved Angeal or if the feelings were just scars of friendship. Watching the young blond hastily gulp down water in his kitchen, he thought he could feel the part of his heart that kept Angeal locked in it slowly start to chip away and fall into the past. Only time would tell.

Cloud set the empty glass down on the kitchen counter and let out a deep breath. He glanced up at Genesis then looked away, still blushing. "Sorry I kissed you," he said. "I don't know what happened with me. I guess it was just the feeling of the moment."

Genesis smiled slightly. "I thought _I_ was the one who kissed _you_," he said slyly. They began to laugh together, and Genesis was relieved. He was so glad that they both had a sense of humor; it would make things more easy between the two of them. He tilted his head as he saw Cloud's face darken. "What's wrong?"

"I can't get my wings to go back in," Cloud answered, sighing heavily. Genesis began to laugh at him.

"Why don't you just take the opportunity to try them out some more? You could fly around the house a bit," Genesis told him. Cloud shrugged but flapped one of his wings and began to grin as one foot slowly began to rise from the ground. "There you go," Genesis encouraged him. "A word of warning, though. As you can see, my home has fairly low ceilings, so watch your head. Even though I've had my own wing for many years now, I've often made the mistake of not watching where I'm going inside the house."

Cloud snickered while visualizing the graceful Genesis slamming his head into a light fixture. He would try not to let himself get that carried away, and told Genesis so. Genesis rolled his eyes playfully and balled his fists up. His black wing came out and he lowered his eyes at Cloud in a challenging look.

"I'll bet you can't catch me," he said, then leaped into the air and began to fly out of the kitchen.

"No fair!" Cloud shouted. "You got a head start!" He flapped his wings quickly and was amazed to find himself flying again. Even though he was not as graceful as Genesis yet, with some practice, he could definitely work his way up to it. He found himself panting and trying to stay above the floor while he flew into the living room where Genesis was.

"Cloud, remember. Try not to think of your wings as a physical attribute. You're going to wear yourself out if you keep physically driving yourself like that! Your wings' strength and attributes are all in your head, remember that," Genesis instructed him, worried that Cloud would fall from the air and onto the hard, wooden floor. Instead, he watched as Cloud gathered himself and glided smoothly over to him. Reaching out a pale hand, he placed it on Genesis' shoulder and held it there.

"...I caught you."

Genesis tensed up and felt his breath catch in his throat. Cloud was looking at him with a strange expression in his eyes, one that reflected both vulnerability and what seemed to Genesis as an invitation to seize his lips again and go with the moment. He tossed the idea back and forth in his head while Cloud kept staring at him, and finally he decided on what he would do. He grabbed Cloud and pulled him forward to his chest, claiming those soft lips once more. It had surprised Cloud and he forgot to keep his mind focused on keeping himself afloat. All at once, the two of them were falling from the air and landing on the floor. Cloud groaned as his back hit the hard wood and Genesis tumbled down on top of him, shutting off his air for a moment. He gasped for a breath and Genesis clambered off of him quickly, slightly red in the face.

"Sorry," Genesis mumbled and sat down on the floor, his wing slowly going back into his shoulder. He felt slightly ashamed of himself, knowing that he had agreed with himself earlier to start showing some restraint with his feelings for Cloud. He turned his face away and was surprised when he felt Cloud press against his side.

"Kiss me again?"

Genesis looked at Cloud and swallowed hard. He noticed that Cloud's wings had gone back into his shoulders. His fallen angel was now resting his cheek against his shoulder, looking up at him with eyes that held nothing but innocence. He reached a hand up and caressed Cloud's cheek gently and lowered his head, gently brushing his lips against Cloud's. Never had he wanted to keep kissing someone so badly. Cloud had a taste that he just couldn't explain or even try to describe with words. It was absolutely intoxicating. His hands lingered on Cloud's cheek for a while then lowered to his neck. His thumb grazed across sensitive skin and he felt Cloud shudder against him.

Their lips parted for a fleeting moment, which gave Genesis a chance to speak.

"I don't know if this is the right thing to do. I like you a lot, Cloud, but we really don't know each other very well. I have certain… baggage… that keeps me holed up in this house and hidden away from others," he explained. "I'm a deserter of Shinra. If I'm found, there will be hell to pay, and this could put you in danger."

"But you're not holding me here against my will," Cloud replied. "I could very well just up and leave you to die, but I'm not going to do that. You need me, and I need you now."

"Why do you need me?"

"Look at me, Genesis. I've got wings shooting out of my back. I've got a black streak in my hair that is unexplainable, and I can rarely feel much pain anymore. I need you to help me get through this. Also, you saved me from the hell I was being put through with Hollander, and you saved me from the hellish experiences I was having at Shinra. I wasn't going anywhere in that place. I was just wasting my time. Being here with you and having new experiences, it makes my life seem somewhat worthwhile," Cloud told him.

"Zack will want to know where you are."

"I know, and I've thought about that. He's probably going out of his mind with worry," Cloud replied.

"He's a good friend and very loyal. He was trained by the best, Commander Hewley. Angeal was my closest friend. We grew up together and entered SOLDIER together. I've not spoken to him in months, same as Zack," Genesis said.

"Genesis?"

"Hmm?"

"Exactly why _did_ you leave Shinra? Why didn't you tell even your best friend where you were going?" Cloud asked.

Genesis hesitated, then sighed heavily. He let the question linger in the air for a moment, then began to speak.

"I left Shinra because I learned the truth about my childhood and how I was conceived. Shinra experiments turned me into a monster, Cloud. I didn't want to be a part of the company anymore. That's all I want to say about it right now, so just leave the matter alone, okay?" he said, turning his face away from Cloud.

"You're not a monster, Genesis. You have shown me nothing but kindness so far. You saved me, even if it was for a selfish reason and you knew that you would need me to stay alive. You have a goodness in your heart. I can even see it in your eyes," Cloud replied. He lifted and hand and cupped Genesis' face in his palm, turning his face toward his. "You are beautiful, not a monster."

"...Thank you."

"About Zack," Cloud said. "Should I call him and let him know that I'm okay? I… I want to see him."

Genesis froze with fear at the thought of anyone, even old friends, knowing where he had been hiding out for months, but he shrugged his consent anyway. "It would be a good idea, but I'm concerned that he will give away our location. If you can talk him into keeping quiet about everything, then I'll allow him to visit. He can bring Sephiroth and Angeal as well," he replied.

Cloud threw his arms around Genesis, giving him a tight squeeze. "Thank you!" he exclaimed. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"Yes, I do. It means a lot to me that I can do something for you that will make you happy," Genesis replied.

"Your friendship makes me happy enough, Gen."

"What did you call me?"

"…Gen?" Cloud replied, his eyes growing wide and his body tensing. Had he made a mistake in calling Genesis that? For some reason, it just felt right to him. It rolled off of his tongue lightly and he had not even though about it when he said it. "I'm sorry. Should I have not said that? I… I didn't mean anything by it."

Genesis felt a tug on his heart. He had not heard anyone call him by that pet name since his own mother when he was a child. Even Angeal had never called him that. "No," he replied. "You can call me that anytime you want to, Cloud." His reply was true, and he meant every word of it. He felt Cloud relax against him.

"I will take care of you," Cloud whispered. "It doesn't matter if we really just met. I will take care of you."

Genesis didn't reply. He had no reason to be worthy of such love and adoration, he knew this for a fact. He had done nothing honorable in his life, and he hadn't really done anything for Cloud except for rescue him. But maybe that was enough. Looking at Cloud, he decided that it was, and he would let himself be adored and loved. As long as Cloud wanted to, he would let him without restraint. There was no need to rush things, though; they had all the time in the world.

Later in the evening, after they had a simple meal of hot sandwiches, Cloud asked for Genesis' phone. He directed the blond to a table in the living room, for he no longer had his Shinra-issued cell phone. He had ditched it in the wilderness the day that he had decided to desert, mostly to throw searchers off of his path.

Cloud walked over and picked up the phone. Before dialing Zack's familiar number, he asked Genesis once more if it was okay to call. Genesis gave him the okay, and Cloud dialed with trembling fingers. How would Zack react? His hands began to sweat and he had to grip the phone firmly in his palm as he waited for Zack to pick up on the other end.

"Zack Fair speaking."

"Z-Zack. It's me. Cloud."

"Cloud! Where the hell are you, buddy? Everyone's been looking for you! I got reports that you were last seen with Hollander going into the lab. Now, we've got Hollander cooling in the 'fridge with a thorough stab wound. Cloud, did you hurt him… and are you okay?" Zack prodded, his voice high-pitched and hurried.

"I'm okay, don't worry. I'm here with… Genesis. He's been taking care of me."

"Genesis? What the hell are you doing with him? He's alive?"

"It's a long story, Zack. I'd rather explain it to you in person. Will you come see me?"

"…Of course I will, Spiky. Where are you at right now?"

Cloud explained his location to Zack, then made him promise not to tell anyone. "Genesis said that you can bring Sephiroth and Angeal as well. Please, Zack. Please don't let anyone know the location other than the three of you. I'll explain everything when you get here. I hope you can come soon," Cloud said. Zack quickly said goodbye and hung up. Cloud turned to Genesis after replacing the phone back on the cradle. "They're all coming. Zack said he would make sure no one else knew the location. They should be here later tonight."

Genesis nodded and said, "Zack may be a little excitable, but I do know that he is honorable and will keep his word." Cloud nodded back at him and sat down beside him on the couch. They sat in silence for a while until darkness had completely enclosed the house outside. Soon, Cloud was nodding off to sleep, his head resting gently on Genesis' arm. Genesis sighed contentedly. Seeing Cloud rest so peacefully on him like this was making his chest ache. All at once, he felt like crying and smiling at the same time. There was just such innocence in Cloud, such peace. He wrapped the old blanket around Cloud that was on the couch, then made his way upstairs and into the attic. He stood in the dusty room for a moment then walked over to the piano.

Pulling back the sheet that covered it, he grimaced at the amount of dust that had still gathered on the keys and the piano itself, even though he always kept it covered. He sat down and began to play a simple, slow melody. It was the same song that he had had in his heart for years, though he could never put words to it… until now.

He sang softly, the words coming to him suddenly, his head wrapped up in thoughts of Cloud and the future. He got so wrapped up in playing that he didn't notice that Cloud had crawled up the stairs into the attic and was standing near the entrance, wrapped in the tattered blanket that Genesis had covered him with. As he finished the song, he closed the lid to the keys and rested his head on top of it.

"That was beautiful."

Genesis jerked his head up and looked back at Cloud. He took in the image of Cloud standing there with the blanket around him, and he smiled. "Come here," he said, and motioned for Cloud to join him. Cloud walked over and sat down on the bench beside Genesis. "I'm sorry I didn't hear you come up."

"It's okay. I woke up not too long after you left the room… I missed your warmth," Cloud replied, nervously looking down. Genesis wrapped an arm around Cloud's shoulders and pulled him closely to him. He placed a kiss on top of the blond's head and rested his chin against it.

"You make me feel content. For the first time in my life, I can say that I'm truly happy. I'm very glad you're here with me," Genesis said.

"Me too," Cloud replied.

They sat together for a few minutes, letting their words sink in to each others' hearts, then were startled by a knock on the door. Genesis froze, then stood up quickly. Racing toward the attic stairs, he quickly made his way to the second floor, where he ran into the bedroom and grabbed his rapier. "Who's there?" he shouted out as he quickly went downstairs to the first floor.

"Genesis, it's Zack!" Zack called out from the outside of the house. Genesis let out a sigh of relief and placed his rapier against the wall. He quickly unlocked the door and opened it, letting Zack in. He gave a quick nod to Angeal and Sephiroth as well, then closed the door behind them quickly, in case they had been followed.

"Genesis, we thought you were dead," Angeal began, his face full of concern for his childhood best friend. "We knew that you had deserted Shinra, but there have been several reports that you died. I am happy to see you alive and well."

Genesis scoffed at this remark. "I may be alive, Angeal, but I'm not well. I was a fucking mess, degrading quickly and feeling like a fucking monster. You know exactly what I'm talking about," he said. "When I finally got the nerve to go see Hollander at the Shinra lab, I walked in on him with Cloud." He looked at Zack, who put a hand on his hip and cocked his head. "Zack, Cloud was supposed to be under your watch, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean that I was able to have access to him twenty-four hours a day. What the hell happened?" Zack asked angrily.

"When I walked into the lab, I caught Hollander abusing Cloud. He was restrained and had been injected with the last of the S Cells. Hollander was _fondling_ him too, Zack. And _you_ weren't there to protect him," Genesis spat. He couldn't believe that he felt such hatred toward Zack until this moment. "I let Hollander be on the receiving end of my rapier, and I took Cloud home with me. His blood… no, his very _being_… holds the essence of my livelihood. If I don't have the S Cells, I cannot live. Cloud has agreed to help me, partially in return for my saving him from even worse abuse from the hands of that twisted fuck, Hollander."

Zack let this all sink into his head, then sighed. "Thank you, Genesis, for being there when I couldn't. Where is he right now?" he asked.

"Zack."

Zack looked up at the sound of Cloud's voice coming from the stairs and saw the young blond coming down to greet him. He rushed over and took Cloud into his arms. "Are you okay, Cloud? Has Genesis been treating you badly?" he shouted anxiously.

"No! Zack, no! Genesis has been nothing but good to me! We get along great," Cloud replied. Zack looked at Genesis, and Genesis nodded at him. "It's true, Zack. I'm doing okay. If Genesis had not come when he did, who knows what would have happened to me?" Cloud added.

"You have a black streak in your hair. Is this from the S Cells?" Sephiroth asked, walking over to them.

"Yes. And…" Cloud pulled away from Zack and backed away from the stairs. He lowered his head and balled his fists at his side, as he had seen Genesis do. He was determined to do this right this time, and he was pleased when he felt the slight sting and burn of the wings coming out of his shoulder blades, and heard the whoosh of them cutting through the air. Zack gasped and covered his mouth with his hand. Sephiroth and Angeal groaned and shook their heads. They, like Genesis each had one wing, all of them projects of experimentation by Shinra, even before they were born. They knew and understood what it meant to go through so many changes, but Cloud was different. This was all tossed upon him suddenly, his body completely absorbing every single last S Cell and possibly countless liters of mako. The young man had to have suffered greatly at the hands of Hollander, and to top it off, Cloud had been fondled, molested.

Genesis had been Cloud's guardian angel.

Abruptly, Sephiroth said, "Genesis, I need some answers. Tell me why you deserted the company." Genesis stared him down like he was stupid for asking such a question.

"You _know_ my reasons, Sephiroth," he said darkly.

Sephiroth and Angeal looked at one another. "Fair enough," Angeal answered for the both of them. Sephiroth sat down on the couch and held his head in his hands, slowly shaking it back and forth, groaning as if the entire situation was giving him a migraine.

"What am I going to do with you two?" he groaned.

"You can leave us alone and not tell anyone where we are. Just leave us in peace. We have each other," Genesis said, easily going up to Cloud and snaking an arm around his waist. "See?" Cloud's mouth dropped open as he looked at Genesis with wide eyes. He could not believe that Genesis was openly broadcasting that they were together. Hell, _were_ they? This was news to Cloud, and he laughed nervously, not sure if he should say anything.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, and Angeal looked at Zack, who appeared to be crestfallen. Angeal had known that Zack had had a crush on the cadet for some time now, ever since they had first started training together, though he had never admitted it to Cloud. _Looks like you've fallen out of luck, puppy_, Angeal thought to himself and shrugged.

"That's not true, is it?" Cloud hissed at Genesis, low enough to where no one else could hear it except for him. Genesis smirked back at him and shrugged one shoulder, but gave no answer.

All five of them finally found themselves seated at the kitchen table, quickly working out a plan on what to do. It was decided that Genesis and Cloud would stay together, as if they would have it any other way. Zack and Angeal would go on about their business as if nothing happened, and Sephiroth would file a report stating that the hunt for Genesis was to be called off. He hoped that the report would work, which would get Shinra off of Genesis' back. It would mean that Genesis would no longer have to hide, and he would be free again to show his face back in towns. As it was, he could only be outside in the immediate surroundings of his home, and could only have groceries and other necessities delivered to his home at night.

When the three of them got ready to leave, Zack walked over to Cloud and held him tightly. "You're gonna be alright here, right?" he asked. Cloud nodded and sighed against his chest, his face crushed into Zack's hardened muscles.

"I'll be fine, Zack. Just please, remember where we are and drop in sometime, okay?" Cloud mumbled.

"I will, Spiky. You take care of yourself and don't worry about a thing topside. We'll keep your asses covered and will keep you updated on the progress with Shinra," Zack told him, then pulled back and ruffled Cloud's hair. "Your wings are beautiful, but the black streak in your hair is just nuts." He laughed and winked at Cloud, who gave him a smile. "Be good," he concluded, then joined Sephiroth and Angeal outside the house.

"Do you two need anything before we go?" Angeal offered. Genesis shook his head and waved them goodbye. He could feel Cloud staring a hole in his back, and he was eager to close the door and be done with the meeting of old friends. He knew, though, that as soon as the door was closed, he would be bombarded with questions from the blond. And he was right: as his hand left the doorknob and reached up to click the lock over, Cloud started in on him.

"…_'We have each other'_? What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, one hand on his hip. His wings had gone back inside of his body minutes ago, and now he just looked like a half-nude blond nymph, his skin pale in the half-darkness of the living room and his pants resting low on his bony hips. Genesis couldn't keep his dirty thoughts from coming to him as he looked Cloud over with half-lidded eyes. He desired Cloud so much, but was also so afraid to make any moves other than kissing and holding him. As far as he knew, Cloud was more than likely a virgin. And Genesis?

"You're only the second person I've ever kissed!" Genesis blurted out. His face twisted into a shocked expression as he realized what he had said. Cloud wrinkled his forehead and cocked his head.

"Talk about random information, Genesis. What does that have to do with what you said?" he asked, confused. Genesis laughed it off nervously and made his way to the kitchen where he grabbed the bottle of whiskey and took a drink straight from it, his lips closing around the neck of it and pounding it down. He set the bottle down and gulped, laughing again.

"I don't know what I was talking about earlier," he said. "It seemed like a good idea at the time to say that we had each other, then maybe they would not talk anymore about splitting us up. I could see it in Zack's eyes that he wanted to take you away from me, and I couldn't let that happen."

"Zack? But he's just a friend, Genesis," Cloud said.

"He's had a thing for you ever since he first laid eyes on you. You didn't know?" Genesis said, and Cloud shook his head. "Anyway, back to what I was saying, Cloud. I've never been with anyone. I'm not sure how to handle all of this. It's all so new to me. You and I… We've kissed. We've bonded quite a bit. You have given me the elixir of life, your own cell-laced blood. Doesn't that make us lovers or something?"

"N-No. I don't think it does. We can't be called lovers if we've never…" Cloud trailed off, blushing and turning his face away from Genesis.

"…_Fucked?_" Genesis answered for him. Cloud nodded. "I'm not ready for that, Cloud. Don't get me wrong. I've thought about it several times since you've been with me, but I can't bring myself to do that just yet."

"So have I," Cloud whispered, slowly looking at Genesis, who returned his gaze.

The room fell silent as they looked at one another, then Genesis capped off the bottle of whiskey and put it back in the cabinet. "I'm going to bed. Are you coming with me?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm tired."

They went upstairs together and got into the bed. This time, neither one of them hesitated too much when it came to what they were going to wear in bed. Cloud stayed in his loose pants and Genesis tossed his shirt onto the floor. When the lights went out, Genesis stayed on his side of the bed until he felt Cloud clandestinely trying to scoot closer to his side. "Come here," he whispered and held his arms out for Cloud. He held the blond until they were both feeling drowsy. "This is nice, hmm?" Genesis said. He felt Cloud nod and he kissed his pale cheek. "We don't have to hide our feelings from one another anymore," he said.

"Genesis?" Cloud said abruptly, his words spilling from trembling lips.

"Hmm?"

"…Will you touch me?"

Genesis' breath hitched and he felt his heart drop to his knees. "Touch you?" he asked.

"Y-yes. I want your hands on me."

Cloud shifted around and faced Genesis. Pressing up against his well-toned body, Cloud lifted a hand to Genesis' face. "I don't want you to make love to me. I just want your hands on me," he whispered, raining kisses down the side of his face. Genesis let out a soft moan and let his hands run up and down Cloud's spine, lightly tickling his skin. Cloud shivered and pressed himself even harder against Genesis. "Just like that," he whispered, letting his own hands roam. They rested on the small of Genesis' back and stayed there while Genesis found sensitive skin at the edge of Cloud's pants. He rubbed his fingers gently along the waistband and his mouth sought out Cloud's mouth in the dark. When he found it, he growled lightly and gently bit Cloud's lower lip, tugging on it and running his tongue along it. Cloud gasped and moaned softly, his blunt fingernails biting gently into Genesis' skin.

"Cloud…"

Genesis began to say something, but couldn't remember what he was going to say. His brain was clouded with lust now, and he felt his fingers tugging on the waistband of Cloud's pants, eager to gain access to what he knew was hidden beneath the material. He held himself back, though, and forced himself to stop short of thrusting one of his hands deep into those damned pants and grasping a hard length of hot flesh. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Touch me, Gen."

At the sound of his pet name, Genesis reached inside of Cloud's pants and found what he was searching for. Wrapping his hand around Cloud's firm erection, he slid his palm up and down it smoothly. Seconds later, Cloud gasped and bit into the flesh of Genesis' shoulder, trying to keep himself from crying out. He grunted as Genesis sped up his movements and began to thrust up into Genesis' hand. As long minutes passed and Cloud writhed against him, Genesis sucked gently on the blond's neck, causing red blotches to appear on his pale skin. Suddenly, Cloud cried out his release and jerked against Genesis. Hot, sticky cum ran along the length of Genesis' hand as he finished the last few strokes. When he pulled his hand from Cloud's pants, he reached off the side of the bed and grabbed his shirt. Wiping the essence from his hand and fingers, he tossed the shirt into the corner of the dark room and turned back over to face Cloud, who was lying on his back and panting.

"Was it okay?" Genesis asked. Cloud chuckled.

"More than okay."

Genesis sighed in relief. He was worried that maybe he hadn't been good enough for Cloud. He had never done that before, and only repeated the actions on Cloud from what he knew from touching his own self. Before he had time to say anything else to Cloud, he heard a soft snoring. He smiled; his angel was worn out. It had been a long day for them both and full of surprises. Now that they had taken an abrupt freefall into intimacy, who knew what the next day would bring? ...And what had Genesis been thinking? Cloud needed _patience?_ Yeah, right. Genesis stifled a laugh and shook his head. The blond was full of surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the meeting between old friends doesn't quite make sense in this chapter, but it will come together later.


	5. Chapter 5

Closing the door as quickly as he possibly could while being as quiet as a mouse, he thrust his hand down his pants and began to jerk himself... hard. His frantic pulls had him leaning with his back against the wall, his free hand running smoothly up and down his chest, stopping to pinch hard on an erect nipple. He bit his lower lip to stifle any sounds that he might make, his breath hitching as he began to almost hit his peak. Then, before he could stop it, a deep moan escaped his lips as he closed his eyes and imagined himself buried deep between Cloud's ass cheeks. His hand froze around his cock, his heart pounding wildly. Had Cloud heard him? His cock throbbed and ached for release, begging him to keep going. After a minute of careful quietness, he finally began to fuck himself again, his hand sliding quickly and loosely over the hard flesh.

He slipped back into his mind. Cloud was now firmly seated on his cock, his back arched and his breaths coming out in quick pants.

_"Gods, you are so fucking thick, Gen,"_ Cloud said, moaning as the cinnamon-haired man ran his hands over Cloud's chest. Sweat dripped down Cloud's forehead and slid easily down his temple. Genesis leaned forward and licked a trail to it, tasting the saltiness of his lover completely. _"What do you want me to do, Gen? I'll do anything for you."_

_"Anything?"_

Cloud moaned and tossed his head back. _"Anything,"_ he panted, beginning to rock and roll his hips atop Genesis' stiff cock.

_"I want you to ride me,"_ Genesis said. He moaned as Cloud began to ride him hard, not even giving him the chance to thrust upward. It was all on Cloud right now; his movements, his body. He grabbed Cloud's ass and dug his fingernails into hot flesh, causing Cloud to cry out in wanton passion as he continued to ride...

Genesis grabbed at the wall with his hand, trying to find some way to steady himself. His other hand still moved rapidly over his cock. It made wet, sloppy noises as he stroked and pulled in earnest. By far, it was the best damned fuck he had ever given himself. When the time came, he didn't even care where he blew; he would clean it up after he was done. He whimpered as he made himself slow down now, squeezing the head of his cock gently and shuddering as a long string of pre-cum seeped out and made his hand even slicker. He teased himself now: slow, gentle strokes had him writhing in pleasure. He eased a hand between his legs and slipped a slick finger into his tight hole, thrusting it gently against his prostate as he continued to fuck himself into believing that it was actually Cloud doing this to him.

He stopped in his tracks and completely froze when he heard a soft knock on the bathroom door.

"Genesis? Are... are you okay?" Cloud called out softly. "I heard a moan. I thought you might be hurt. Maybe you need some of my cells...?"

The doorknob turned. Cloud stood in the doorway now, his mouth agape. Genesis, his hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar, stood breathless and red in the face, his hand still on his cock with his finger buried deep inside his ass. He began to sputter incomprehensible words as Cloud suddenly but slowly moved toward him and closed the door.

"Do you... want some help?"

The question came out sounding completely innocent in nature, and Genesis felt his heart jump a little.

"No-No, it's okay," Genesis replied, still unable to move. He watched as Cloud unquestioningly went down on his knees in front of him and tugged his hand away from his cock. Soft lips moved forward and down, his warm, wet mouth lowering quietly over Genesis. Genesis moaned softly and tilted his head back, his eyes rolling up and looking at the ceiling through blurriness. "Cloud, stop," he whispered, biting his lip. "You don't have to do this." He looked down and watched the blond's head bobbing gently.

Cloud released his cock with a soft slurp and kissed the tip of it. "I know, but I'm repaying you for earlier tonight," he said, looking up at Genesis with hazy blue eyes. "So it's okay. I'm here to help you in every way I can, remember?" He lowered his head again and took Genesis' cock to the base, feeling it hit the back of his throat. He moaned around it, sending shivers running through Genesis' body. With his free hand, he cupped Genesis' balls and rolled them in his palm. His other hand reached up to clasp Genesis' hand, their fingers twined together. Genesis squeezed them lovingly, his free hand now resting atop Cloud's head with his fingers gently gripping gravity-defying spikes.

Suddenly, Cloud looked up at Genesis, his eyes and face full of innocence. He removed Genesis' cock from his mouth and gave sort of a half-smile.

"Am I doing this right?"

Genesis groaned in approval and nodded. "I think so. It feels great anyway," he replied.

"Sorry. I know neither one of us has any experience, but I'm trying."

"You're doing great for a first-timer, Cloud," Genesis said, smiling.

Cloud swallowed hard and bit his lip, deep in thought. "...How does it feel?" he asked. The question, though innocent enough, was more than enough to almost send Genesis to his knees. His head tilted back and he groaned again before responding. He closed his eyes.

"It's... warm. Warm and soft, and very very wet. It feels like the biggest adrenaline rush I've ever had, only tripled. I'm on the edge of orgasm every single time your mouth moves over it. You have no idea," Genesis said.

"Oh gods," Cloud said. His eyelids fluttered closed and Genesis saw his hand move slowly to his crotch. He rubbed himself through his pants. "G-Genesis," he whispered. "Keep talking." He cried out softly as he began to move his hips against his hand, thrusting against the delicious sensation that the friction of his pants were causing him. He lowered his mouth back down on Genesis and took him to the hilt again, causing Genesis to moan loudly.

"I like it when you take me down your throat. Fuck. If your mouth feels this good, I can only imagine what it would feel like to be inside of you," Genesis said. He was about to say more when he felt Cloud pause his ministrations. The blond looked up at him - again, with those crystal-clear blue eyes - and blinked once. He blinked twice. His mouth slid slowly off of Genesis' cock.

"Say that again," he whispered. "Please."

Genesis knelt down onto the floor to come face to face with the white-winged angel. Brushing strands of blond hair away from Cloud's face, he placed a chaste kiss on his cheekbone then rested his forehead against Cloud's own sweaty forehead. He wrapped his arms around Cloud and held him tightly. Time seemed to stand still while they stared at one another through their lashes. One breath. Two breaths. Their bodies seemed to synchronize as they sat together on the cold bathroom floor. When Genesis finally began to speak again, it came out in a soft whisper that sent chills shooting down Cloud's spine.

"If your mouth feels that fucking great, angel, then I can only imagine what it must feel like to be inside of you."

His hot breath seemed to melt onto the skin of Cloud's face like a welcomed disease. Cloud shivered. "You would take me, then?" he asked. After a few moments of hesitation, Genesis shook his head, much to Cloud's surprise. He pulled away from Cloud and looked away.

"No, I would not. You are much too innocent to be corrupted by me."

Cloud's unspoken thoughts caught in his throat. Suddenly he felt rejected, even though the words that had come from Genesis' mouth were beautiful to him. "I... don't understand, Gen," he said. Genesis stayed silent, his face still turned away, until Cloud finally came to his senses. Reaching out, he took Genesis' face into one hand and gently turned his head to see him. "You are just as innocent as I am," he said softly. He watched as a lone tear made its way from the corner of Genesis' eye; watched as it traveled down to his hand that was still on Genesis' face. He swept away the tear with his thumb and smiled sadly. "We're almost the same now, aren't we? Do you not have my blood running through your veins? Have you not already put your hands on me, as I have with you?"

Genesis smiled at this and raised his hand to cover Cloud's hand. He stroked smooth circles on the flesh with his fingers, then clasped Cloud's hand tightly. Suddenly, Cloud was forced back against the bathroom wall, his lips seized wholly by Genesis' searing hot mouth. Their tongues lashed out and danced alongside each other, as if in a fight to the death for territory. Genesis' hands were moving quickly across Cloud's body, his fingers tracing every single inch and every single scar. He broke away from Cloud's mouth and licked a trail from his jaw and down to his neck. Cloud cried out and rolled his head back, careful not to slam it into the wall. He felt Genesis' mouth suckling gently on his neck and groaned as he felt the pressure increase. He gasped, then, as he felt the now-familiar twinge between his shoulder blades. His wings burst free and he flapped them gently as he saw Genesis grinning up at him. The redhead pulled up for a kiss and grinned into his mouth.

"I want to make love to you like this. Just like this," Genesis said, his breath hot and sweet against Cloud's opened lips. He grasped Cloud by the waist and pulled him through the doorway of the bathroom and into the bedroom, where he carefully laid Cloud onto the bed. He slowly shifted Cloud's pants off and tossed them to the side. Gently raising and spreading Cloud's legs, his hands clasped firmly behind his knees, he lowered his head and delved his tongue into hot, virgin territory. He felt Cloud shiver around his tongue, the muscle clenching and responding positively to his ministrations.

"G-Genesis!" Cloud cried out, clutching at Genesis' hair, tugging it tightly and silently begging him to work faster. He felt his toes curl as his eyes closed, then felt Genesis stop. He let out a small cry of protest, but bit his lip as he saw the tall SOLDIER coming closer to him and moving over his body. He hovered over Cloud for what seemed like an eternity, their eyes meeting in a silent prayer. Genesis let out a sigh and lowered his head to Cloud's neck.

"Please forgive me... if I hurt you."

Genesis grasped Cloud's left leg and pulled it up slightly, then moved even closer to Cloud, his entire body weight now resting on the small blond.

"Please forgive me."

He sank his blunt teeth directly into Cloud's throat just as he pushed himself inside of him, earning a cry of both agony and ecstasy from Cloud. He stilled himself in order to let Cloud get used to the feeling of being penetrated, all the while suckling on the precious blood and cells trickling from the wound and into his mouth. He knew that he didn't truly need them at the moment. He _knew_ this, and yet...

"Genesis..."

Cloud's breathy voice made him snap out of his reverie. He licked the wound clean and pulled away from it, watching as the hole closed up almost automatically. His eyes met Cloud's and his heart sank. Cloud's lip was trembling; his eyes glistened with moisture that would surely turn into tears at any given moment.

"Cloud, are you okay? What's wrong? Do you hurt?" Genesis asked quickly, the questions rolling out one by one quickly. He watched in relief as Cloud shook his head.

"No. I just... This. I thought I was sure, but now I'm not so sure. What if..," Cloud paused. "What if this is wrong of us to do?"

Genesis reached a hand up and stroked his fingers over Cloud's cheek, his thumb coming to rest on his lip as he leaned in for a kiss.

"This can't be wrong. I have definite feelings for you. Too soon, maybe, but..." Genesis kissed him again. "...but we both want this, right?" He looked down between the two of them, their bodies connected as one. He smirked, though not cold-heartedly. "It's kind of late to be thinking that we shouldn't do this."

Cloud began to laugh then, a response that made Genesis laugh as well. They ended up rolling over, a motion that caused Cloud to be astride Genesis. His white wings were spread out behind him - a vision which Genesis regarded as purely breathtaking and awe-inspiring - and his hands rested atop Genesis' chest. When it finally hit him that he was being even more deeply penetrated by Genesis' cock than before, he let out a soft cry and began to move his hips. Slowly, he worked his body up and down the redhead's shaft. He no longer felt any pain and knew that he wouldn't, thanks to the cells that circulated throughout his bloodstream. He wanted to enjoy himself to the fullest, and he intended to do so, while in turn giving Genesis equal pleasure. He felt hands grasping his hips and sliding along back to his ass. Blunt nails dug into the flesh there and he pitched forward as Genesis gathered him in his arms.

"Gods, you are so beautiful," Genesis whispered into the top of his head, placing a kiss where he had spoken. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tightly as he threw his head back and rode out the first wave of his impending orgasm. Cloud was rolling his hips now and thrusting against Genesis to get friction on his abandoned, weeping member. Genesis could do nothing but hold on tightly. It was as if an animal had somehow been unleashed from within Cloud, his actions almost primal. He grunted and thrust forth over and over, grasping desperately at the fringes of the best orgasm he had ever had. When it finally hit him, he sat up and yelled out Genesis' name with abandon. His back arched and his head tossed back, his wings fluttered and flapped until they came to envelop Genesis in a soft embrace. Genesis growled beneath him, his upper body rising quickly from the bed. His black wing appeared as he came inside of Cloud, and he wrapped it around him.

As they slowly recovered, Cloud lay still and silent on top of Genesis, their wings wrapping them in a cocoon of warmth and protection. There was no need to break their silence, as it was a comfortable one. Minutes later, their wings slowly began to sink back into their shoulder blades, and Cloud finally moved from atop of Genesis. Sticky and wet from their lovemaking, Cloud rolled over onto his back and sighed. He didn't even care that his skin felt dirty. What was important, was that they had both enjoyed themselves. He smiled.

"This was great," Genesis said, turning toward Cloud and smiling.

"Yeah," Cloud replied, his eyelids becoming heavy from lack of sleep. The last thing he remembered was being gently cleaned by his lover, and a whispered promise of, "I will never let anyone hurt you again."

Genesis had sat up the rest of the night, unable to sleep. He lit a cigarette and sat by the window in the bedroom, blowing smoke rings out into the chilly night air. Usually he would read _Loveless_ on a night such as this, but tonight, he felt like just staring at the sky. He thought about his next move - _their_ next move - and how he could continue to keep Cloud safe. He wanted to stay true to that promise, but just how long could they keep their hideout a secret?

The cold wind blew through the window and pierced his naked flesh like pinpricks. He shivered and took a last drag from his cigarette, tossing the butt outside, and closed the window quietly. He gazed at Cloud, who lay curled beneath a blanket and peacefully sleeping. Finally joining him, he wrapped his arm protectively around Cloud and kissed him on the shoulder.

"I promise."

There was nothing more to say.


End file.
